Structure for holding a web in spread condition to constitute a berth or the like



Sept. 4, 1956 Filed March 19, 1953 J. T. MEW STRUCTURE FOR HOLDING A WEB IN SPREAD CONDITION TO CONSTITUTE A BERTH OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JAMES T MEW I? TTORNEYS Sept. 4, 1956 J. T. MEW 2,7

STRUCTURE FOR HOLDING A WEB IN SPREAD CONDITION TO CONSTITUTE A BERTH OR THE LIKE Filed March 19, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T i E INVENTOR.

JAMES T Mew BY @6, I.

H TTOR/VEXF STRUCTURE FOR HOLDING A WEB IN SPREAD fgggDlTION T CONSTITUTE A BERTH OR THE James T. Mew, New York, N. Y. Application March 19, 1953, Serial No. 343,538

. 3 Claims. (Cl. 5-197) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention describedherein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the pay ment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention pertains to the art of berths for ships or the like, and particularly for ships that are employed in troop transport service. The invention comprises a structure for holding a web in spread condition, to constitute a berth that is suitable for a person to occupy in reclining position.

The structure consists of a web of fabric, and a frame to support the web in spread condition. For its particular use as a berth, the web may be of any fabric that is suitably strong, such as canvas. In its most convenient form the fabric web is rectangular.

A bead is secured continuously along each of opposite side edges of the web. A bead may extend throughout the length of the web, or the bead may be omitted along a portion of the edge, as in the case in the disclosed embodiment for reasons that will appear more fully hereinafter. In any event, each side edge should be beaded along a substantial portion of its length, and beads along opposite edges should be opposite and coextensive.

The frame for supporting the web of fabric comprises a pair of side rails, and these are secured to each other rigidly, and are held spaced apart a predetermined distance that is determined by the width of the fabric web. In the structure of the disclosed embodiment, cross rails hold the side rails spaced apart, the cross rails being located at the ends of the frame. At each end, a side rail is secured to the end of an end rail, forming a rectangular frame that is bounded by the rails. In the preferred structure shown, the frame is a pipe or tubing of appropriate length that is formed to rectangle shape by bends at the corners, that position the opposite ends of the pipe in meeting engagement, and the opposite ends of the pipe are secured to each other where they meet, by welding or the like.

The web of fabric is supported on the frame by means of attachments, there being such an attachment along each side rail. Each attachment is a trough or channel, the base of which contains an edge bead of the web, and is of a size for. the bead to fit into. The trough comprises a throat, which is wide enough to accommodate the thickness ofthe web. A. fabric web is securedv to its frame by the processof sliding each of the several edge beads lengthwise into its corresponding. attachment trough, the fabric of the web adjacent to the bead sliding along the throat of the trough. The throat is too narrow for the bead to pass through it, and thus the bead is confined within the trough to secure the web to the frame.

Each attachment is secured rigidly to its corresponding side rail, in position to project inwardly of the boundary of the frame, and is secured with reference to the rail for the throat of the groove to be directed away from its corresponding rail towards the opposite rail. When the web is supported by the frame, with the edge beads confined in their troughs in the manner described, the beads are held against escaping sideways through the narrow throat of the trough under tension applied widthwise of the web, for example by a person reclining on the berth.

A fabric web is easily attached to its frame, and may be detached and removed as easily, for washing, repair or replacement. A berth, constituting a web attached to its frame, occupies a diminutive amount of space in a berthing area of a ship. In addition, it constitutes a unitary structure, which may be secured readily at its alloted position in the billeting area, or it may be removed and stowed in a greatly confined space when it is de.

sired to use the billeting area for cargo stowage.

The principles of the invention will be more clearly understood, and disclosure of a practical embodiment thereof, from the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a face view of a berth embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a face view of a fabric web only of the berth of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a cross-section, taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a cross-.section, taken on line 44 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a perspective that illustrates one step in the process of securing a web to its berth or removing it therefrom, the step being the first in the process of applying the web to the frame, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective that illustrates a. later step in the process of securing a web to its frame.

The invention as disclosed in the drawing comprises a fabric web 11, Fig. l, and a frame 12 for supporting the fabric web.

The fabric web 11 of the disclosure, asi seen in Fig. 2, comprises a sheet of textile fabric which is strong enough to support the weight of a person, canvas for example being suitable. The area. of the fabric web is determined by the sleeping space allotted to an individual in a given billeting area, and in the disclosed embodiment the fabric area is generally rectangular.

A bead 15 is secured along each of opposite side edges of the fabric web 11. According to the preferred structure shown, each head 15 comprises a length of flexible strand 16, Fig. 4, such as rope for example. The. strand 1.6 is rolled into the fabric of web 11 along its edges in the desired positions lengthwise, and is confined in the pocket that is so formed continuously along the edge of the web, by means of sewed stitches 17. Additional width of the fold of fabric that forms the pocket of head 11 is secured to the fabric web by means of additional sewed stitches 18, providing a reinforcing hem.

' The frame 12 comprises side rails 20, and endrails 21 and 22 that are rigidly secured to the side rails 20 at their respective opposite ends to hold the side rails rigidly spaced apart. Thus, as seen in Fig. l, the frame 12 is hollow and borders the area of the berth, and is generally rectangular. In the preferred structure shown, frame 12 is made of a piece of pipe of appropriate length, which is bent to form the corners 23, and brings the opposite ends. of the pipe into meeting engagement at 24, where they are joined to each other by means of welding for example.

Fabric web 11 is secured to frame 12 by means of attachments 25, of which there is one along each side rail 20. Each attachment 25 in the disclosed structure comprises an appropriate length of tubing that is slotted lengthwise at 26. The attachment therefore constitutes a trough, Fig. 3, of which the slot 26 is the throat and of which the inside of the attachment tubing 25 constitutes the base 27.. The base of the trough that constitutes the inside of attachment tubing, is of a size for a bead 15 to fit into it and be confined therein. The throat 26 of the trough is wide enough to accommodate the thickness of fabric web 11 adjacent to the bead 15, but is too narrow for the head to pass through the throat 26 sideways. Each attachment tubing 25 extends along its rail 20 and preferably is long enough to accommodate the total length of its corresponding head 15.

Each attachment is rigidly secured to its corresponding rail preferably along the inside surface thereof, where it is contained within the boundary of the rails and does not add to the overall space occupied by the berth. The attachments 25 are secured each to its side rail with reference thereto for the throat 26 of the trough to be directed away from its corresponding rail and towards the opposite rail. Welds 28 are suitable for securing attachments 25 to their rails 20.

The berth supports a reclining person because the side beads are confined each in the base 27 of its trough, and cannot pass sideways through the throat 26 under the tension that is applied widthwise of the fabric web llrby a person reclining on the berth.

In the disclosed structure, the foot end 30 of the fabric web 11 is not attached to corresponding end rail 21 of the frame. The foot end 30 of the fabric web 11 is free, and is finished off with a simple folded hem as shown, by means of sewed stitches 32 and 33.

Under preferred practice, however, the fabric web 11 is secured at its head end 35 to the corresponding rail 22 of frame 12. See Fig. 1. Accordingly, a bead 35 is provided, which is of appropriate length along the end edge, but which otherwise is constructed the same in all particulars as the side beads 25 in the manner described hereinbefore. Attachment 37 is of suitable length to contain the length of head 35, and is positioned accordingly along end rail 22, but otherwise attachment 37 is the same in all particulars as the attachments 25 of side rails 20, and the attachment 37 is secured to end rail 22 in a similar manner, by welds 38.

Each attachment 25 of a side rail 20, as seen in Fig. 1, extends from a point near the end rail 21 at the foot of the berth along its rail towards the opposite end rail 22 at the head of the berth, but it terminates a greater distance away from end rail 22. The attachment 37 of end rail 22 also is somewhat short of the full length of rail 22 as seen. The lengths and positions of attachments and 37 are determined to make the process of attaching a fabric web 11 to frame 12 easy, as will appear more fully hereinafter, but in any event the attachments 25 and 37 are long enough to hold the fabric web 11 rigidly taut in the frame 12.

The corners 41) at the head end 35 of fabric 11, as seen in Fig. 2 are tailored at an angle, and are finished off each with an angularly disposed flat hem, which extends from the end of its corresponding side bead 15 to the proximate end of bead 35 at the bead end of the web 11. Hems 40 otherwise are similar to the flat hem 31 at the foot end of the web.

To attach the fabric web 11 to its corresponding frame 12, the end bead first is inserted into the end attachment 37, by sliding the bead lengthwise into the trough of attachment tubing 37 as seen in Fig. 5. Now the ends of side beads 15 at the foot end 30 of web 11 are guided each into the base 27 of its side trough 25. Hem 31 is grasped by hand, preferably near each of the side beads 15, and the fabric web 11 is pulled to slide each side bead 15 lengthwise into its trough 25, the fabric web 11 adjacent to beads 15 sliding along throat 26. Hem 31 is pulled until the fabric web 11 is drawn taut lengthwise away from end attachment 37. The distance between side rails 20 is determined to draw the fabric web 11 taut in the widthwise direction by it being secured to frame 12 in the manner described.

The rail 22 at the head end of frame 12 is curved downwardly, as seen best in Fig. 5. This enables the web 11 to sag more readily under load of a person reclining on it, and makes the berth more comfortable.

The berth, consisting of frame 12 with a fabric web 11 attached thereto, is an assembly constituting a berth, which may be stowed in a minimum of space, or it may be positioned readily in its allotted space in a billeting area. The knobs 42 are provided for fastening the berth at its allotted place in a billeting area, by any suitable means which forms no part of the present invention.

The disclosed structure is one practical embodiment of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a structure for berths and the like, a fabric web and a rectangular frame supporting the fabric web removably, the frame comprising opposite side rails of the rectangle and opposite end rails of the rectangle secured to each other rigidly at the several corners of the rectangle, the frame comprising an attachment for the web constituting a head unit along one end rail of the frame constituting the head end of the berth and a side unit along each side rail of the frame, each attachment unit comprising a trough open at the opposite ends of its length and secured to its companion rail and extending continuously in a straight line along its rail, each trough comprising a base cavity at its companion rail and a throat to the base cavity directed, with reference to the rail, inwardly from the border of the frame rectangle, the throat of each trough being constricted with reference to the base cavity, the attachment unit of the head rail extending less than the full length of its companion rail with its opposite ends terminating each at a point spaced away from its corresponding corner of the rectangular frame, one end of each attachment unit of a side rail terminating at a point spaced away from the head-end corner of its rail, the opposite end of each attachment unit of a side rail terminating at a point near that corner of its side rail opposite the head-end corner, the fabric web being rectangular to fit the frame and comprising a bead companion to each attachment unit located along the edge of the head end of the fabric rectangle and along each side edge of the fabric rectangle, the length of each head corresponding with the length of its companion attachment unit and being of a size to fit in the base cavity of its corresponding trough, the throat of each trough fitting the fabric thickness of the web adjacent to the bead and confining the bead within the base cavity of the trough.

2. In a structure as defined in claim 1, the frame constituting a length of pipe comprising the end and side rails of the frame, the pipe being formed in conformance with the contour of the rectangular frame to constitute opposite ends of the pipe length positioned in meeting engagement, the ends of the pipe where they meet being secured rigidly to each other.

3. As an article of manufacture for berths and the like, a rectangular fabric web comprising opposite side edges and opposite end edges of which one end edge corresponds with the head end of the berth, a bead secured to the end edge of the head end continuously and to each of opposite side edges continuously, the bead of the edge of the head extending less than the full width of the web with its opposite ends terminating at points spaced away each from its corresponding corner of the rectangle, each bead of the respective side edges extending less than the full length of the web with its end proximate to the head end terminating at a point spaced away from the head end corner and its opposite end terminating at a point nearer to its corresponding corner, the web comprising its head-end corners formed on a bias and a flat hem at each corner along the bias between corresponding terminal points of the bead of the side edge and the bead of the edge at the head end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 121,734 Springer Dec. 12, 1871 771,866 Fisher Oct. 11, 1904 1,246,544 Chassaing Nov. 13, 1917 1,715,707 Jenkins June 4, 1929 2,347,389 Baker et al April 25, 1944 2,670,478 Gilfillan March 2, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,144 Great Britain Nov. 21, 1901 

